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Spray Tan Maintenance: How to Extend the Life of Your Spray Tan

Do you want your faux glow to last even longer? Read on to learn how to extend the life of your spray tan.

Are you preparing to hit the beach for your next vacation? Planning to stroll onto the white sand looking like a beautiful bronzed goddess?

A spray tan can help… if it lasts long enough to look good on your vacation, that is.

You might not know that your spray tan’s lifespan has a lot to do with what you do before you show up for your tanning appointment. Here are a few tips to keep your spray tan looking natural and gorgeous.

Scrub and Exfoliate

First things first: scrub down. No, seriously, scrub harder.

The day before your tan, you want your skin silky smooth. Your body naturally exfoliates the top layer of your skin every seven days, and it takes your spray tan with it.

So, you want to make sure you scrub down and exfoliate before you show up to your spray tanning appointment, preferably the night before.

Remember when we said that your skin naturally exfoliates every seven days? This is especially true if you have any dry patches on your skin.

If you moisturize, you can help minimize any natural exfoliation your skin needs to do. That way, your spray tan won’t come off.

However, once you’ve gotten your spray tan, go easy on the moisturizer, oils, fragrances, anti-aging creams, pretty much everything. If you must apply lotion, avoid anything with fragrance or anti-aging ingredients.

Don’t Sweat It

Any extra moisture on your skin will make it harder for the spray tan to settle evenly. And you don’t want to sweat (or shower) for at least eight hours after your tan–otherwise, you’ll wash your tan right off and wind up with a rather embarrassing tan line. Can’t wait that long to shower and need your tan to develop fast for a special event? We’ve got you covered with our 2-Hour and 4-Hour Developer Additives.

When you do take your first shower, do a light rinse in warm water. Try to keep showers quick, and daintily pat yourself dry rather than rubbing your skin dry.

And if you think you see your spray tan washing down the drain, don’t worry–that’s just the cosmetic bronzer that the salon uses so that the technician can see where they’ve already sprayed.

Need a Hollywood-Worthy Spray Tan?

Ready to get a spray tan worthy of a pop star?

Check out our blog for more tips, like this post on how to choose between spray tan shades. Or, if you’re ready to make the most of our tanning services, don’t hesitate to get in touch with one of our salons near you.